The invention relates to ink cups for doctoring gravure printing plates.
A pad printing machine includes an ink cup supported in an inverted position and in contact with a gravure printing plate mounted for reciprocal motion below the ink cup to transfer ink to a printing pad. The ink cup includes a plate contacting edge which serves as a sliding seal between the ink cup and the gravure printing plate and as a doctor blade for ensuring that only the engraved portions of the gravure printing plate contain ink.